HIS new book, which is "the story of their stewardship and that of the Harding-Coolidge regime,” has just been published. Here is what one critic thinks of it (Mr. Kerby is Editor of the Newspaper Information Service): MY DEAR LYNN: December 29, 1925. I have just finished reading the galley proof of your book, "Your Servants in the Senate," and I want to give you my impressions for whatever, if anything, they may be worth. The first thing that strikes me about it is the fact that you have here presented the first comprehensive, detailed and painstaking analysis of the real forces of modern capitalism and their method of work that has ever been done in modern times. The second thing that strikes me and arouses admiration is the thorough and workmanlike way in which you have gone at the job. Every page, and indeed every paragraph, bears internal evidence of the care and thoroughness that has evidently been put into the preliminary work on this book of yours, and consequently it is above all things convincing. The third thing that strikes me is the cold, clear logic of the thing; its absence of ranting and demagoguery, its avoidance of generalizations and its specific and deadly presentation of facts, facts, facts! It literally lifts one out of his chair, and it does it not by means of mere language, but by its marshalling of fact, and the logical presentation of its argument. Furthermore, I am charmed by the form and method of presentation, the sequence and arrangement, and the method of allowing one thing to lead to and introduce another. It has the readableness of an exciting novel, the thrill of a mystery play. I am inclined to think that this book, should it be actually read by some members of the Senate machine, might even startle several of them into a realization of the part they are playing as tools of something much bigger and more menacing than perhaps some of them may really have realized. In other words, I believe that its clear and convincing analysis of Mellonism and what Mellonism means might do what few documents ever do carry a certain amount of conviction even to those individuals who are incidentally attacked by it. For the rest of us who are interested in how the processes of government can be and are being used in the interest of SUPERBIG-BUSINESS, no one of us can afford not to read it. Finally, let me say that my unstinted admiration goes out to a man who can assemble and handle facts in the surgical manner indicated by the proofs that I have examined. Cloth bound copies are $1.75 each and those in paper binding, $1.00 each, postpaid. We offer a paper-bound copy of this book and a year's subscription to The Searchlight for $2.50. THE SEARCHLIGHT PUBLISHING COMPANY Lenox Building Washington, D. C. "The Administration," beyond all question, is on the side of the favored few-the exploiting class. But that is not the worst of the indictment against the Old Guard group of Senators. Their political subserviency to the executive powers that be is far more dangerous in another direction. It is utterly destructive of the independence of the Senate, which means the legislative branch of the government. We are rapidly entering upon an epoch in which the whole official power and prestige is centered in the White House. However such super-power is attained, and regardless of how it may be exercised, the resulting condition is completely unconstitutional. It contradicts and violates every basic principle of Americanism. The national legislature must arrive at independent judgments through uncoerced deliberation. Otherwise our representative system will ultimately be another ignominious failure. * Above all else, therefore, the great immediate need is the selection of Senators who will do their own thinking and make their own decisions. If you want to get a quick picture of conditions at Washington, read "Your Servants in the Senate." Says this book: "Regardless of what these candidates for reelection may bring most vigorously to your attention, the issue in all these campaigns should be the crucial issue of Senatorial independence. "Relatively, nothing else matters." Subscription, $2.00 per year-Please send check or money order to above address. Subscription rate: $2.00 a year. Single copies 20 cents. Entered as second-class matter May 26, 1919, at the Postoffice at Washington, D. G., under the Act of March 3, 1879. Your Government at Washington For purposes of public enlightenment, the most illuminating action of the Senate at this session came March 19, upon the motion of Senator Reed of Missouri, to adopt his resolution for an investigation of campaign corruption. This followed immediately the Pennsylvania primary in which Vare "triumphed" over Pepper. Campaign Corruption Resolved, That a special committee of five, consisting of three members selected from the majority political party, of whom one shall be a progressive Republican, and of two members from the minority political party, shall be forthwith appointed by the President of the Senate; and said committee is hereby authorized and instructed immediately to investigate what moneys, emoluments, rewards, or things of value, including agreements or understandings of support for appointment or election to office have been promised, contributed, made or expended, or shall hereafter be promised, contributed, expended, or made by any person, firm, corporation, or committee, organization, or association, to influence the nomination of any person as the candidate of any political party or organization for membership in the United States Senate, or to contribute to or promote the election of any person as a member of the United States Senate at the general election to be held in November, 1926. Said committee shall report the names of the persons, firms, or corporations, or committees, organizations, or associations that have made or shall hereafter make such promises, subscriptions, advancements, or payments and the amount by them severally contributed or promised as aforesaid, including the method of expenditure of said sums or the method of performance of said agreements, together with all facts in relation thereto. Said committee is hereby empowered to sit and act at such time or times and at such place or places as it may deem necessary; to require by subpoena or otherwise the attendance of witnesses, the production of books, papers, and documents, and to do such other acts as may be necessary in the matter of said investigation. The chairman of the committee or any member thereof may administer oaths to witnesses. Every person who, having been summoned as a witness by authority of said committee, willfully makes default, or who, having appeared, refuses to answer any question pertinent to the investigation heretofore authorized, shall be held to the penalties pro vided by section 102 of the Revised Statutes of the United States. Said committee shall promptly report to the Senate the facts by it ascertained. There was a futile attempt to prevent a vote. Reed, of Pennsylvania, "objected to the present consideration of the resolution." Old Guard Whereupon the other Senator of Somersaults that name moved that it be taken up. This brought the issue to a decision-and disclosed one of the most astounding exhibitions of "welshing" ever seen in the Senate. Thirty-four administration Senators voted to kill the Reed resolution by opposing its consideration. When the Old Guard had been defeated in that attempt 45 to 34-almost immediately thereafter twenty-one of them switched to an exactly opposite attitude favoring the inquiry. To be exact, this most remarkable reversal occurred in less than eight minutes. The Republican Senators who thus took both sides of the question were (those who are candidates for reelection being in italics): Butler, Massachusetts; Cameron, Arizona; Cummins, Iowa; Curtis, Kansas; Dale, Vermont; Gooding, Idaho; Harreld, Oklahoma; Jones, Washington; Norbeck, South Dakota; McMaster, South Dakota; Pine, Oklahoma; Robinson, Indiana; Stanfield, Oregon; Weller, Maryland; Williams, Missouri; Willis, Ohio. Capper, Deneen, Keyes, Reed (Pa.) and Watson voted against consideration and, a few minutes later, dodged a vote upon adoption. The thirteen who vote against an investigation on both tests were: Bingham, Connecticut; Ernst, Kentucky; Fernald, Fess, Goff, Hale; Moses, New Hampshire; Oddie, Idaho; Sackett, Schall; Smoot, Utah; Wadsworth, New York; Warren. Fourteen "Welshers" Reed, of Missouri, called it "welshing." That is a weak, inadequate description of the two-faced record thus made by those who reversed themselves in so incredibly short a time. It was cowardly, to say the least. When the administration group saw that an inquiry could not be prevented, they tried to save themselves politically by scrambling to a more virtuous position. One vote was as decisive as the other. All sorts of explanations will doubtless be offered on the stump by those seeking reelection, but the people should consider only the plain truth of the episode. Some may argue that an affirmative vote on the motion to consider would have displaced and jeopardized other measures. That, obviously, is plain piffle. The whole matter was settled in a few minutes. Fourteen Senators who want "to come back" first voted to kill an investigation into campaign corruption and then, failing in that result, somersaulted to the other side. It was a shameful performance admitting of no other interpretation. "Jim" Reed took occasion to remark that "there was a lapse of only about seven minutes and threequarters" between the two anWorse Than tagonistic decisions. While upon Newberryism the subject, this Senator commented as follows: "When it was learned that Newberry had expended $190,000, in the teeth of a statute of his own State, there was a general expression of anger and even horror. Whereupon the Senator from Ohio (Willis), although generally anxious to bare his back to the party lash-to blindly follow his political bellwether experienced such twinges of conscience that he felt something must be done to ease the pain. Accordingly he offered a resolution in substance and effect that 'Newberry having obtained his election by processes destructive of the Republic, therefore be it resolved that he be given a seat in the Senate for six years.' "The dulcet voice of the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pepper) was heard upon the hustings defending Newberry and criticizing those who had attacked him. Doubtless some of the people of Pennsylvania when they went to the polls recalled those speeches and voted their protest. "A few weeks ago a primary election was held in Illinois. It has been charged by many people that one of the candidates expended from a million to a million and a half dollars in that primary. Even then he went down to defeat. "If these charges are true, then the country ought to know the facts. If these charges are true, then a condition of corruptness and of rottenness exists which ought to arouse to extreme vigilance every man who loves his country and adores its flag. "The press today states, and the statement is not categorically denied, that there was on yesterday and the few preceding days expended in the Pennsylvania primary from $2,000,000 to $5,000,000. If the charge be true, every man concerned in it ought to be speedily tried and sent to the penitentiary. "If, sir, you were to muster before me the murderer with blood-wet hands, the thief in possession of his loot, the highwayman armed with bludgeon and pistol, the fire bug with his torch, the burglar with dark lantern and jimmy, and if you were to place with that assembly of rogues the wretch who had corrupted an election, I would unhesitatingly declare the corruptionist the blackest scoundrel of them all. I would so say because the man who attacks the foundations of his Government and thereby assails the very structure of society is the greater criminal, the more intolerable villain, for his criminality poisons the soul of the Nation. "To gain the boon of liberty for us, to establish here a free government, our fathers rallied to the standard of revolution. Through the miasma of swamps, through forest depths, beneath the burning sun, amidst the winter's snows, in starvation and in despair, they fought on and on and on, until at last they established the right of self-government. And that right is all concentrated in the simple right to cast a freeman's ballot. "He who will lay unholy hands upon that bloodbaptized privilege is worse than an anarchist; he is the vilest of traitors; he does not merely betray, he destroys his country, for he poisons its soul." Old Guard Goes Down Illinois, Pennsylvania and Oregon-these states have held Senatorial primary elections. In each the sitting Senator failed to secure a renomination. McKinley was defeated in Illinois, Pepper in Pennsylvania, and Stanfield in Oregon. Above all else, these were "administration Senators"-"me, too" members who invariably obeyed orders from above. That affiliation is chiefly responsible for their retirement. Local issues of various kinds are advanced as explanations, but the outstanding cause of their repudiation by the voters is the fact that they were "administration Senators." A revolt is on against the Coolidge régime. It is a growing revolt. Pepper, McKinley and Stanfield paid the penalty, as other Old Guarders will pay the penalty in later appearances before the people. There are twenty-five "administration Senators" seeking reelection. The anti-Coolidge sentiment is becoming so strong that only a few of them will be able to survive his increasing unpopularity. |